NHL players to compete in 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy
- NHL players will compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking their first participation since 2014.
- The agreement between NHL, NHLPA, IIHF, and IOC was finalized after extensive negotiations.
- This development is set to enhance the visibility of ice hockey globally while opening the door for NHL players' involvement in future Olympic Games.
On July 2, 2025, it was announced that National Hockey League (NHL) players will compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics to be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This decision marks a significant milestone as it will be the first time since the 2014 Sochi Olympics that NHL players will take part in the games. The agreement was finalized following extensive negotiations between the NHL, NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The participating nations have started unveiling their Olympic rosters, with the men’s hockey tournament scheduled to take place from February 11 to February 22, 2026. The participation of NHL players in the Olympics was last seen in 2014, where Canada triumphed over Sweden in the gold medal game. Since then, the hockey landscape has evolved, where other countries like Finland and Olympic Athletes from Russia have won gold medals in 2022 and 2018, respectively. Thus, the absence of NHL players in the Olympics led to increasingly unpredictable outcomes due to the diversity of athletic backgrounds among the players. As the announcement was made, IIHF President Luc Tardif expressed great enthusiasm, highlighting the agreement as a cornerstone for the sport's growth, stating it as a